July 2016

Life in the Comms Autobahn ─ My Ode to PR

Hi. My name is Bridget Kow. I’ve been working in The Hoffman Agency for five years and counting. Welcome to the world of Communications. Or in my own words, “The Communications Autobahn.” Why “Autobahn?” Besides the fact that it makes PR seem cooler, it is an analogy on how fast pace [...]

The Phrase that Often Wrecked the “Mood” During Press Interviews in Asia

Back in the early days of Hoffman Asia Pacific, U.S. clients asked us to provide tour support for their executives visiting Singapore. They wanted us to set up meetings with media and local leadership, create schedules and provide chauffeur service. Eventually, we responded to those requests this way: “Hold on, you [...]

June 2016

Asia Pacific Reunion in Silicon Valley

Maureen Tseng’s visit to Silicon Valley late last year — Mo was AP employee No. 1 joining the Agency in early 1997 — was cause for an impromptu reunion. Mo’s sister and brother-in-law, who also happen to be the parents of one of our account managers in Hoffman’s Silicon Valley office, Lauren [...]

Establishing Connections across the Causeway

Above Photo:  Hoffman and Emerald Comms in Malacca for an off-site meeting in 2007. Top L-R: Jana Ponnudurai, Neethiya Sadagopal, Lee Ling, Mayda Jutahkiti, Janice Wang Bottom L-R: Rene Leow, Tay Kuan Yan (ex GM of HA), Jisun Kim, Maureen Tseng Our link with The Hoffman Agency started in 2004. It [...]

Putting the “Man” in Hoffman

Congrats to Lou and The Hoffman Agency team in Asia Pacific on your 20th anniversary. It’s a good age to be in, I reckon – old enough to show staying power, but still have the swagger of youth. Being 20 is when you feel invincible and you know that there’s still [...]

May 2016

PR Agency Offsite, Japan Style

As in the U.S., company offsites are quite common in Japan. The history goes back to before the World War II when appreciation for everyone’s hard work was rewarded with a trip to a hot springs. Furthermore, there’s a tradition of what’s called the Graduate trip in most Japanese elementary schools, [...]

“Ignore that comment — follow your heart” … and I’m still here 16 years later

That’s what Michelle Herman told me not long after I was hired. According to Lou: “Lydia is so serious. You think she can fit in to our culture? At least smile for us?” This was how it began. Lou and Michelle had the privilege of witnessing me in a light blue dress [...]

My Introduction to Asia Pacific PR 101

I had barely unpacked in Singapore in 1996 when I heard from our client HP. The company was hosting a major customer/media conference in a luxury resort on Phuket Island, Thailand, and my presence as media contact was requested. Hoffman Asia Pacific was barely hatched at that point, but that’s why we were there.

“I Never Saw a Moor …”

It’s been quite the thrill for me to watch the activities of Hoffman’s Asia Pacific operation over the years. I’ve been lucky enough to work with a long string of dynamic players — from Lou himself, to Ray Shuster, Michelle Herman, Maureen Tseng, Lydia Lau, Jenny Chan, Shingo Nomura, Kaori Saito, [...]

아시아 진출 20주년을 맞는 우리의 자세, 호프만에이전시가 소개하는 디지털 PR 3대 전략

  English Version 1987년 실리콘밸리에서 출발해 세계 각국에서 다양한 클라이언트들의 종합적인 홍보 서비스를 지원해 온 호프만에이전시가 아시아 진출 20주년을 맞이했습니다. 그 동안 호프만에이전시는 크고 작은 변화에 적극적으로 대응하며 고객지향적인 비즈니스모델을 발전시켜왔는데요. 그 중에서도 호프만에이전시가 가장 주목하고 있는 변화는 단연 ‘디지털화(Digitalization)’입니다. 다른 모든 산업과 마찬가지로 PR산업 환경에서도 디지털로의 전환은 매체나 기업의 홍보 [...]